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Assistant Head Coach

SuperFanDBS Writer

Trestman not considering changes at safety
October, 29, 2013
Oct 29
By Michael C. Wright | ESPN.com
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman isn’t ready to jerk struggling safeties Chris Conte and Major Wright from the starting lineup, and made it clear Monday he hasn’t even considered such a move.

The duo entered the season with lofty expectations after a 2012 campaign in which they helped the Bears rank No. 2 in opponent passer rating (71.3), and a 69.8 rating in the 15 games they started together. Wright and Conte haven’t achieved similar success through the first seven games of 2013, but several circumstances induced by injuries (such as the front four’s lack of a consistent pass rush and the team’s inability to stop the run) have contributed.

Asked if Conte and Wright have been letting down the team, Trestman said: “I don’t think that is the case. I think that our performance in all places isn’t where we need it to be,” before adding he hasn’t “considered anything like (making a change in the starting lineup at safety).”

Conte received negative recognition on Pro Football Focus’ “Had a Bad Day Team” for his performance during Chicago’s 45-41 loss at Washington, while Wright received “Dishonorable Mention” at the safety position on that team. Each contributed eight tackles apiece in the loss, but played major roles in Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III ripping the Bears for 298 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns as he finished with a passer rating of 105.2.

The Redskins gained 20 yards or more on seven snaps on offense with Griffin completing four passes for gains of 26 yards or more, including three completions of 30-plus yards.

Griffin completed 3-of-3 for 100 yards, a touchdown and a passer rating of 145.1 on throws directed toward Conte in coverage and quarterbacks have completed 68.8 percent of their throws against the safety, according to Pro Football Focus. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 77.8 percent of their passes directed towards Wright in coverage for a passer rating of 135.2.

Still, Trestman isn’t placing the blame on the safeties, largely because of all the factors that have contributed to their slide this season.

“I would say we are going with the guys we have at the present time (as the starters), and that would be obviously Major and Chris,” Trestman said.

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Assistant Head Coach

SuperFanDBS Writer

It would HAVE to be a couple of guys who could step in mid-season and play significantly better than Major and Conte. I think they should get a couple of the Soldier Field beer vendors. They could have a raffle, and let Virginia McCaskey pick out the two winning tickets (maybe at halftime during a home game, so they could suit-up for the second half). Or they could open it up to all the food vendors (would it have to be guys, or could the lady vendors enter this too)?

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Pro-Bowler

SuperFan

So, the conclusion is that the Bears have no bench. No matter how poorly Conte, Wright, Peppers,McClellin play,we're stuck with them. That's what Trestman is telling us. Of course, he doesn't use those words. I watched the video of that interview. I don't like Trestman. His interviews are an insult to our intelligence. Why can't he just speak the truth? Maybe he'd give us the old Jack N. line, "You can't handle the truth!" Well, I've got news for Trestman. We already know the truth. We talk about it every day on this board. If there is a worse starting safety than Conte in the NFL, I haven't seen him. I haven't seen Conte get a hand on a pass all year.

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George Halas

Staff Member

So, the conclusion is that the Bears have no bench. No matter how poorly Conte, Wright, Peppers,McClellin play,we're stuck with them. That's what Trestman is telling us. Of course, he doesn't use those words. I watched the video of that interview. I don't like Trestman. His interviews are an insult to our intelligence. Why can't he just speak the truth? Maybe he'd give us the old Jack N. line, "You can't handle the truth!" Well, I've got news for Trestman. We already know the truth. We talk about it every day on this board.

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Pro-Bowler

SuperFan

I don't doubt some of the lady vendors could outplay Conte and Wright.

Seriously though, who would we replace them with? Steltz? Anthony Walters? That's all the safeties we have. T-man's not lying to us, he's telling us the truth. He's not considering replacing Conte and Wright, because he has no one to replace them with.

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Head Coach

Honestly, as bad as they are, they're going to be exposed, even if they were Mike Brown and Troy Polamalu back there, with this defensive line. There's absolutely no room for improvement, whenever the wide receivers have all damn day to run their routes.

A coach can tell the truth without throwing anybody under the bus or saying he has no bench. He could just say, "We're starting the guys we believe give us best chance to win." Then shut up about it. I don't need to hear a bunch of phony rah-rah cheerleader bullshit like the following (all Trestman quotes this week..

"We are continuing to grow and get better,,,a lot of positive,,,We are in a good place...We are doing a lot of things really well,,,We executed very well"

Instead of all this crap, I'd like to hear him answer questions like,"With CornWash inactive, what the hell are you going to do if McClellin gets hurt in the Packers game?" His proverbial "next man up" on the depth chart is languishing on the inactive list.

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Veteran

I get what your saying David, but that is just the way Trestman or Emery sell it. Always going to talk up the players on the top of an under performing list.
I just hope they are busting their assess behind the scenes to support and build up the weak links... That is why the action is the only thing that matters, and us fans will be a day late with the news good or bad.

With CornWash inactive your answer would be Bass or Wootton kicks out and Minter, Tupou, or Cohen fill in @ tackle. I'd bet.

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